6 or so months ago, I was living with Justin in an apartment that I liked, it was fine, but if I am being real it was bringing me down.

I felt like my energy was “too big’ for the space and the decor was outdated and ‘young’. It felt like I was trapped in college still. I had a key ring that said “Stay awhile” which was very corny and basic.

The space location was great, right by the beach and all of that, but I would die inside when I had to get ready in the tiny bathroom, and every time I would come home and have to wait to see if there was anyone from the street waiting outside the apartment (since it was so close to the beach we had lots of homeless people wandering by our place).

I kept dreaming of my new space and my new move. I was desperate to find a place where I felt more like an adult. Where I felt proud to invite people over and most importantly where I could host my friends. I always wanted to be a place where people wanted to stay when they came to visit.

So, we found our place after a few months, and after overpaying beyond our budget by a bit, we are moved in and I couldn’t be happier or more proud to live in our space.

Having the new space, I donated most of our old furniture and was SO ready to upgrade our furniture so it aligned more with our style now. Justin calls it “Tree-House Modern” which fits the fact that our space is surrounded by trees on the second floor, with really high vaulted ceilings that make the space feel MASSIVE.

Finding new furniture when I hadn’t bought new furniture in YEARS was actually a DREAM compared to what I was thinking it would be. Now I pretty much only buy online, and my budget is more than it was years ago when I was unemployed and hating my life.

One of the important ways I have been able to stick to a style and theme is honestly using Pinterest photos, and having them saved so I can reference frequently when looking at pieces to bring into my home.

A consistent theme for a lot of the photos I would find were that the furniture was modern, and then there was a mix of fabrics in pillows, blankets and rugs.

There are also lots of plants incorporated which makes the place feel fresh and open. For this I do a mix of fake and real, because this girl doesn’t have time for tons of dead plants.

One of my favorite parts of my apartment, that makes me feel the most ‘adult’ and proud of my life is my table from Article. It’s GORGEOUS. With a thick wood base, glass countertop so you can see the base, and these amazing soft, sturdy wood chairs that fit so perfectly with the table. It’s one of those statement pieces that when you come into the apartment you feel like the place is thoughtful. I would buy it 100x over, and each morning when I have breakfast at the table with Justin, or do work, it makes me smile.

I also am such a fan of (and so is Justin) our gorgeous navy blue velvet couch. Like I said before about wanting to have guests :) this really makes it possible because it’s a pull out. The bed is SO SOFT, sometimes I want to just crash in it. I was skeptical of having velvet in our apartment at first since we live in California, but it’s been amazing because it’s so comfy, and it makes it always look clean. The material is such a nice contrast to everything else in the home. For this piece, I added a few textured pillows from Target to mix it up and really bring it into the room.

What I would tell you even if I was talking to you on the street is that Article is SUPER affordable, gorgeous furniture that…wait for it…delivers and assembles your furniture.

That’s right, the delivery staff who have come to deliver and in the case of our table, assemble it have been such sweet thoughtful people who really made the experience amazing. For Justin and I, we aren’t the handiest, so having them put it together makes all the difference!

For anyone that I’ve met in person, the most compliments I get, have to be on my SKIN and my hair.

If you know me, I would never normally start a post in this way, but it’s truly something that’s started happening in the past two years.

Basically these compliments or comments, only came when I started taking collagen regularly.

Honestly, I say it all the time that it’s the one supplement that works. I can even tell if I stopped taking it (I look dull, and I swear my skin feels more brittle. It’s like the plumpness goes away!)

My hair hasn’t always been so thick, long and healthy and my skin hasn’t truly always been so glow-y. (It’s hard to type this but this is what I have been told, ha). It’s been such a good feeling knowing that I have taken control of these parts of my life naturally by leveraging collagen for my hair, skin and nails, all while aiding in my digestion and more.

There are so many benefits to collagen:

Not only does collagen prevent the signs of aging, it can reverse some signs such as fine lines and reduced elasticity. Anti-aging, is SO key for me.

Helps to reduce cellulite: Okay, so, in short: collagen is the protein that forms the connective tissue in your skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. So, if you have changes in the skin such as weakened collagen, it can make cellulite more apparent because the skin is less able to conceal everything happening below the surface. So, that thin skin, will show fat MUCH quicker if you lack collagen. This is key for living in Cali when I'm in shorts like, all year ‘round.

Prevents the onset signs of aging: by increasing skin moisture levels, the development of lines and wrinkles diminish. It’s that simple! I have a few fine lines on my face that I watch like a HAWK. No seriously, I look at their prominence daily because it's fascinating to me how they change relative to my hydration level, my sleep, and what supplements I'm taking or what I'm eating. With this, my skin just looks so much more hydrated and even. I had someone stop me on the street today, complimenting me on my skin. Which is crazy!

Strengthens hair and nails: If you didn't know, collagen protein is the foundation of hair and nails. It's like biotin but it works – HA (never felt like biotin worked at all). To brag, my hair is LONG as shit now, and the collagen as seriously helped it stay lustrous. It’s the longest it’s ever been and I’m able to keep it that length because it’s healthy. For my nails, they can survive my no chip manicure obsession, thank GOD.

Improves digestion in two ways: it supports hydrochloric acid production in our stomach, which makes digestion easier and collagen helps to repair the lining of the stomach, and small/large intestines. Staying regular and supporting my digestion make me feel more like a human, ya know?

Although as you know I am mostly plant based (about 95% vegan) I do take collagen regularly because it has such amazing benefits.

So I am happy to share with you the collagen that I’ve been using and loving regularly. Not only is it on brand (with the pink though) but it’s female founded and female focused. It’s called Collagen For Her.

What I love about Collagen For Her, is that it’s such a quality collagen that I can trust. It’s been designed and made specifically for women, and the ladies behind the brand truly believe in helping women with their health. Collagen For Her is THE cleanest collagen available.

I am so excited to write this post because I am sitting covered in oils, smelling oils and about to drop some oils all over my pillow before I go to sleep early again for the evening.

I have been oil-curious for the past year or so, but until finding DoTerra never really understood the hype. Now I use them all over my house, my body, in my beauty routine…it’s been a game changer to remember how important your sense of smell is to activating so much in your life.

While oils (which are basically plant extracts!) have many uses (and a ton of scientifically proven benefits) I think my all time favorite aspect of the oils is that they bring you back to the present moment. They make you connect.

It might sound a little out there, but as soon as you’ve tried them, you’ll get it.

They force you to be more present and make you connect with your deepest self. Whenever i use them, in any way, I seriously feel like I am taking care of my self, my environment, my space, my body…it’s just so intentional.

Here are a few other reasons why I love essential oils:

People are attracted to my scent (and so am I!)

Our skin is our largest organ and whatever you put on it topically gets absorbed straight into your bloodstream. So, next time you spray that expensive perfume on your neck (right into your thyroid gland) or that deodorant straight into your lymphatic system, take a look at the ingredient list first... You may think twice about your next spray. It’s unfortunate that most perfumes are made of toxic and harmful chemicals.

I can enhance my mood and emotions in just few drops

For example,, if I need to reset after a long day I will use the Deep Blue which is a minty, delicious feeling and smelling oil that really relaxes my whole body. If I want to meditate deeply I will do frankincense. If I want a pick me up I can use Lemon.. By using our senses and my sense of smell I have been blown away at how it helps me shift into and out of different emotions or moods.

I can make sure my cleaning products are non-toxic, and natural

Nasty toxins BE GONE. With these plant essences you can create your own cleaning products and know EXACTLY what you are using.

Natural Cleaning with Essential Oils:

Mirror and glass cleaner

2 cups of filtered water

2 tablespoons of white vinegar

10 drops of Lemon essential oil.

It’s sad, but I dare you to look at the ingredients of your store bought cleaner (and all your other cleaning products for that matter) and ask yourself if you really want to be breathing that in and using that in your home.

Although we can’t control the pollution in our environment, we CAN control what happens in our home environment. My goal in 2019 is to turn my entire home into a wellness sanctuary and am trying my best to move towards all natural, toxic free, homemade cleaning products.

My clothes now smell incredible! (Which they NEVER DID before, LOL)

I read about this a long time ago and I would cite it but it’s escaping me! Something you can do when doing your washing is to add oils such as Lavender to your sheets and towels, so it smells like the french countryside hehe.

I can seriously supercharge my meditations.

Using essential oils to put on my palms and even on my forehead, really helps me to get into the zone and into the meditation. Essential oils have been used for YEARS for getting into your body and spirit.

I diffuse them all day long so that my space feels like an actual HOME.

I have helped my sleep and rewired my nervous system (so I am calmer and more collected)

Being stressed out constantly, running a business

Enhanced hydration (because I want to drink more water!)

I now add oils to my water to enhance my water uptake overall and hydration. My usual choice is Lemon and Ginger, or sometimes Peppermint — which is super soothing (and great for your stomach to aid in digestion). If I am feeling frisky I will add a twist of Himalayan salt so that I can add more minerals into my body.

Bath time is the best part of my day.

Follow me on Insta? You’ll know that I’m OBSESSED with baths. What you won’t be able to guess though, from the pictures, is that my baths? Are laden with oils. The intense fragrance, the topical impact, the straight-to-the-nervous-system hit… these oils upgrade my baths in ways I’d never before experienced.

My go-to blend is Geranium, Rose and Lavender. With this, I add some epsom salts, light some candles and pop on Enya on Spotify… and I am in total HEAVEN.

I can support my gut with DigestZen, which I sip on all day in water.

It’s incredible for your micro biome, and for keeping your immune system in tip-top shape.

Next-level stress relief.

For stress management, anxiety and nervous system support after too long in front of my computer or on my phone, I use Vetiver, Bergamot and or Cedarwood. It’s like a warm hug in a natural plant form.

They get me back to my heart-space. Almost instantly.

Just being present in the moment is all I need and these are KEY for that!

Most of the essential oils mentioned above are available as part of the beautiful dōTERRA Home Essentials Kit, which you can learn more about on my page here.

If you want more information on joining the Path to Freedom team, and learning how I make passive income with DoTerra through mentoring and working with other conscious people who love essential oils go to my page. Happy to also chat through and answer questions you have! I am glad to support you on your journey!